A letter writer says the City of Surrey failed to use the blank slate that Grandview Heights once was to create a well-balanced community environment when it allowed unbridled development (including the above complex planned near 160 Street and 24 Avenue) in the area.

Opportunity missed

Grandview Heights could have been a model for sustainable, livable development.

The City of Surrey, 20 years ago, set out to develop the Grandview Heights area (east of Highway 99 to 176 St between the border and 40 Ave).

They sought public input and developed an OCP (Official Community Plan) for this area. The virtual blank slate provided a unique opportunity to balance types of housing with open spaces, schools and transportation/roads. In the last decade we have seen the OCP plan for density discarded with each new development proposal approved with massive density increases many times the OCP plan.

The Grandview Heights area is feeling the stress significant higher density places on people. Sunnyside, a two-year-old elementary school, already has portables. The entry/exit roads into Morgan Crossing shopping are continually clogged up. The main arteries of travel (24 and 32 Avenues, 160 and 168 Streets) have never been fully upgraded and we residents are constantly inconvenienced.

One wonders if they ever will upgrade these main roads. These should have been upgraded before the major development we all must now contend with.

The 32 Avenue entry/exit to Highway 99 is a planning disaster that can not handle the traffic load at even the most off times now. Major intersections now require the more expensive over/under passes to try and accommodate this increased traffic caused by this massive higher density.

The City of Surrey had a blank slate and has already destroyed what could have been a model for sustainable and livable development. Surrey council should respect the OCP density on the remaining undeveloped lands and show some respect for your Grandview Heights citizens. Expand the main connecting roads on 24 and 32 Avenues, plus 160 and 168 Streets now.